Organizational Politics Role in Talent Management - Essay Example

Organizational Politics Role in Talent Management

Introduction

Talent management involves a set of HR practices within an organization aimed at motivating, developing, engaging, and retaining productive employees (Silzer, Dowell, and Silzer, 2009, p.3). The doctrine aims at establishing high performing sustainable organization that can meet its strategic and operational goals. On the other hand, organizational politics involves the pursuit of individual and self-driven agendas within an organization without concern on the impacts it has on the organization’s ability to meet its objectives. Work politics are common in any given workplace and can lead to negative consequences in the organization by affecting work productivity and performance. Identifying a comprehensive understanding of how work politics influences talent management opportunities in an organization is, therefore, fundamental since it creates opportunities towards a sustainable organizational structure.

Factors Contributing to Organizational Politics

Politics usually refers to the process in which diverging interests within society are reconciled through consultation and negotiation. Politics creates order out of a diversity of different views and avoiding forms of totalitarian rule, which is same as organizational politics where employees think differently as well as act differently as well. Tension arises between the employees whereby they are forced to solve the situation by using different political means (DuBrin, 2013). However, the choice of action to be chosen depends on the power relations between the parties involved.

An organization's politics manifests in numerous interpersonal queries, which provide diversions in the flow of organization’s operation of activities. Subsequently, at most times it is invisible and incomprehensible to all individuals within the group except those who are directly involved (Simerson, 2011, p.245). The political behaviour developed by the organization are at most times varying because they originate from simultaneous competition and collaboration practices within the same organization (Robbins and Judge, 2011, p.435).

The structure of an organization creates an environment in which organizational politics thrives on. The fact that there are more jobs at the lower end of than the top of an organization influences competition. Additionally, with some individuals in positions of authority and thus can control others enhances organizational politics. Office politics have both positive and adverse effects in the operation and management of an organization. Therefore, it plays a fundamental role in both adding values to HR practices and talent management principles as well as threatening the acquisition, development, and retention of the same talent. Roles of organizational politics towards talent management can best be described in the following manner.

Influences Employee Competition

At any workplace, employees often get overwhelmed with their assignments and project, which motivates their initiative at getting the job done. It is a typical scenario in workplaces for one to find arrogant and vindictive colleagues rising to the top of the chain while humble, and nice employees are stepped upon. Competition is the reason as to why such eventualities could be explained. It is naïve for business institutions or HR departments to ignore the existence of politics among colleagues in the workplace. Subsequently, rather than undermining its existence knowing its role in an organization and how to manage it to enhance productivity should be the primary concern. Politicking within an organization as numerous scholars refer to it induces competition of all kinds in a given group. Employees compete for budgets, opportunities to work in exciting projects or meet high valued clients. All these motivate competition while others compete for job promotions, power, or prestige. The fundamental concern that needs to be understood is the very fact that employees plot and scheme at work and the truth about politics in an organization is that it delivers (Yeung, 2006). It brings the best out of the employees regarding their talents.

Through politics, HR executives can influence employees and attain objectives that are right for the organization as well. Agreeing is not common especially in workplaces but through politics influenced by HR in a responsible manner, the organization’s interests are met. Competition does not have to be internal only but also in rival companies in the same industry. Achieving the best out of employees in the current economy requires aggressiveness and adequate performance.

Helps Employees Improve Skills

Work politics exposes one to the vulnerabilities associated with their place of employment, employment needs, and expected results at some instances; hence, creates an avenue to develop the essential skills of an employee. Politics is inevitable in almost every workplace because it provides an opportunity to develop the confidence of employees. Quitting in every employment opportunity shows a weak spirit which is despised by HR executives. Engaging in politics and tackling situations raises the confidence level of an employee and prepares them for future jobs that are even more challenging (Poell, Rocco, and Roth, 2015, p.627). Being internally strong and persevering during hard situations is an exceptional quality especially for developing talents at work. Work projects are often experienced with doubt and objection from various work colleagues. An individual can gain a robust and dependable belief using politics to get things done even in demanding situations. Mistakes are common in organizations and employees play a huge part leading to such eventualities. Without politics, such employees are not able to know their shortcomings and rectify them. Organizations, therefore, keep losing productivity due to a lack of staff engagement. However, organizational politics opens opportunities for criticizing employees’ weaknesses and mistakes, which enables employees to learn from their understanding and make amends thus improving work productivity (Neider and Schriesheim, 2010, p.38). Risk is a common outcome in most business settings. Positive thinking usually helps in motivating employees and increasing their productivity, but politics within the organization allows them to look on the brighter side. Information gathering and sharing is a universal principle practiced through politics. Such information allows employees to become free thinkers and focus on the better side of life from time to time. Teamwork is an essential prerequisite for the development and growth of an organization. Employees should be able to adjust and accommodate each other’s strengths and weakness (Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Ferrell, 2016, p.330). Politics allows such a happening to take place because individuals are in constant engagement with each other.

Building Good Relationship

Office politics when managed inadequately it can have long lasting adverse consequences to the whole organization (Dillon, 2014). However, leaders have realized that forging healthy relationships among and with employees allows for the accomplishments of services in an organization. Management staffs have to get out of their comfort zone and build a healthy relationship with individuals in a variety of roles, levels, and situations (Teatro, 2011). Once a good relationship is forged with employees or individuals that meet these set standards, leaders can achieve a number of incentives. A mutually beneficial relationship with people inside and outside the organization as well as attainment of a vast resource pool contributes towards the achievement of the core objectives of an organization.

Good politics, when used wisely, can achieve all these successes. Leaders spend time with employees from different levels of the organization and learning of their trade of practice, their goals, and using their power of persuasion to meet the organization’s objectives. Therefore, unlike what people presume office politics to be, in this situation, it creates a generous attitude towards other employees; develop a good moral compass and forging collaborative relationship towards achieving collective strength (Sharma, 2011, p.7). Additionally, it influences recognition, accolades, respect and goodwill those people who practice it earn from those they work with.

Managing Conflicts

Conflicts are common happening in organizations and when not administered in a sound and efficient manner could have costly consequences. Talented employees ought to have conflict resolution skills that make them active in work productivity and people management. Office politics enable employees to work through conflicts to make sense of the business environment they are exposed to (Caciattolo, 2015, p.122). Instead of giving up or escalating the situation when in conflict, most smart employees use organizational politics to make sense of a company’s process (Vrontis and Thrassou, 2013, p.65).

Nurturing Creativity

Great innovation arises from practice and not talent alone. Work politics captures employees’ attention when they are most vulnerable to the work-related challenges. At times, politics acts as a transitioning mechanism through which workers adapt to keep thus their cognition awareness high. Work politics enables employees within an organization to come up with ideas which help to ease and transform the body adapt to new strategic management principle (Henry, 2006, p.23). Work politics influences a positive attitude especially if HR practices within the organization are sustainable. Subsequently, a positive attitude encourages employees to share and engage with each other to find solutions that ultimately ensure organizational success.

Creativity is all about observing, connecting facts and experiences that happen on a daily basis in an organization that may not seem related but actually are. Group politics utilizes the knowledge and skills of vibrant employees and creates an environment where creativity thrives. Trial and error enhance creativity in almost each employee as it creates room for employees to try out different initiatives without biases when failure takes place. Additionally, creativity allows employees to look for more in the organization other than just meeting financial targets. Talent management relies heavily upon nurturing employees who understand clients' needs and can meet them in a sustainable manner (Holbeche, 2009, p.389). Organizations are not about employees who are talented but also customers who are satisfied by the initiatives presented by such employees. Creativity works best when different departments share information freely adhering to some interdisciplinary rules. Flexibility is influenced by work politics to enhance creativity because various professionals in the same organization breed creative inter-disciplinary thinking professionals who are of great value to the success of the company.

Managing Succession Planning

The identification and development of the main internal employees to occupy senior leadership opportunities within a company is referred to as succession planning. During such a time, office politics is usually paramount because most employees are anticipating on the impact the decision will have on their career paths. Subsequently, the nature of office politics opens an opportunity for organizations especially HR departments to sit back cautiously and analyse the situation brought forth by such politics before a decision on promotion is made. Office politics is characterized by an observational look that extends beyond formal titles and reporting relations and thus constitutes understanding informal networks and influence spans (Pina-Ramirez and Davila, 2015).

Succession planning as it turns out is not a smooth transition that all employees embrace. Competition thrives during such a period, and office politics provides an avenue through which potential employees that could occupy the leadership position express their views. HR executives can manage succession planning not to affect the organization’s succession planning committee or individual employees in a negative but positive manner. Through grievances raised during the period, various initiatives are adopted by most organizations to ensure the plan is sustainable. Some of the adopted initiatives include paying attention to what is happening across the organization and gathering sufficient information from different sources. Establishing long-term relationship with stakeholders to minimize the impact of succession planning, as well as, conducting assertive communication to ascertain credibility also count

Grievances and concerns raised by potential candidates to occupy leadership seats create a platform through which succession-planning impacts are sustainable by meeting the needs of each employee. HR departments end up gaining credibility as they can handle adverse situations while workers end up gaining further opportunities to prove their worth to the organization by participating in future succession plans.

Building Networks

Effective micro-politicians in an organization usually develop relationships with the principal senior leadership employees or any other staff members whom they might need help from (A. and C. Black Publishers Staff, 2009, p.60). Most organizations tend to look at the negative effects and impacts that office politics has on the overall performance of employees. However, despite the general negative views that HR executives and staff have on office politics, it is a powerful tool towards forging talent networks.

Talent management has its processes in which collaboration is formed such as succession planning, recruiting, engagement, knowledge management and training. The formal options facilities the success of a company particularly when it is in a stable position. However, during trying times when formal processes seem inadequate, office politics tends to thrive in organization settings. Employees use office politics to create partnerships and collaborations with others whom they view as a path to senior leadership positions (DuBrin, 2015, p.228).

Active office politics helps communication up and down the organizational ladder. Positions of powers such as top management spots in any given company are usually contested. Peers are often critical to each other’s success, especially when vying for the same position. Good communication with employees’ especially junior staff creates a path where talent is appreciated even if it is through office politics (Lindsell-Roberts, 2010, p.230). Office politics creates an informal avenue whereby employees can freely criticize their bosses management styles and relationship with other staff without biases. Even though casual, it provides a window in which junior staff members choose or elect competent leaders based on both formal and informal general wellbeing characteristics of an individual such as relationship status, values, and ethics among other things.

Talent management incorporates an organization’s structure, operation, culture, and values both social and ethical (Scullion and Collings, 2011, p.95). Therefore, talent is not only based on the ability of an employee to achieve organizational objectives but rather to apply all talent management pools sustainable to meet the needs of the organization. Building networks within an organization can be achieved through politics, friendship, or mutual benefit all of which exist in an organization.

Conclusion

Office politics is an enabling environment in an organization through which employees can cope with their grievances regarding succession planning, management inadequacies, poor turnover, or any other group related challenges in an informal manner. Most HR executives and firms have realized that office politics exists in all companies. Different factors contribute to its existence such as emotional insecurity, subjective standards of performance, environmental uncertainties, and manipulative tendencies all aimed at achieving power. Depending on the organization’s structural framework especially concerning HR practices, office politics can have either positive or negative consequences. Talent management is the most unsafe practice in HR that is impacted at most by office politics. However, as the paper has discussed office politics could play numerous active roles towards benefiting talent management. HR practices, therefore, are fundamental towards achieving a positive outcome in office politics. Organization structure could also be transitioned to offer more opportunities to employees by creating more recognition and reward practice models. A conflicting work environment is the least suitable condition in which an organization can strive. Employees ought to feel secure and well taken care of within an organization as well as their grievances being communicated in an efficient manner to ensure talent management strives even when office politics continues to take place.

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